Jump Start # 3873
Joshua 24:15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Our verse today, likely the most recognizable verse from Joshua is about choices. Choose this day whom you will serve, were the words of Joshua. And, Joshua put forth three choices. The first choice was the gods beyond the River. These are the gods that their fathers served. They had a connection and a family tie to those gods. However, it wasn’t those gods that parted the river. It wasn’t those gods that fed the nation all those years in the wilderness. Symbolically, when they crossed the river, they left behind those things of the past, including those gods. The second choice was the gods of the Amorites. These were the gods in the land where they were dwelling. The gods beyond the river represented the past. These gods represented the present. Yet, these gods of the Amorites were not helping the Amorites. Israel was busy driving out the nations and conquering the land that God had promised. The Amorite gods could not stop Israel. The third choice, Joshua’s choice, was the Lord. The Lord was in the past, the present and in the future. The Lord has shown himself to be true to His promises and stronger than any of the other gods, including what Egypt offered.
Choose for yourself. Some choices in life are easy and obvious. Some are hard. Some choices we make quickly and later regret making those choices. Buyers remorse is when you bought something and now you wish you hadn’t. Some choices are life changing, such as who you journey life with as a mate. Having children is a big decision. Where to live. What career to follow.
One of the valuable lessons to teach young people is how to make wise choices. Part of growing up and part of maturing is learning that lesson. Mistakes are made. Regrets come. And, for the young, often the choice is based upon now. Consequences are not considered when one is choosing things on a whim.
Here are three simple steps to help us make the right choices. This would be a good launching study for a teen devo, but we adults need to learn this as well.
First, look at things from the end, not the beginning. At the beginning, all we see is the shinny wrapper, how good something will taste, how much fun it will be, and how happy this will make us. And, many of those are nothing more than superficial emotions. Slick salesmen are good at pushing a decision based upon emotions. A bright red car sure looks nice. You sit in it and how amazing it is. The more the salesman talks the more you like what he is saying. Just a few payments and the car is yours. He works magic with the numbers and you can afford the monthly payment. Why not? Papers are signed, appointment is made for you to come and pick up the new car. You go home feeling great. As you look over the papers it hits you that you’ll be paying for that car every month for the next twelve years. TWELVE YEARS! The car may not be around in twelve years. Then it hits you. What have I done?
Choices come with consequences—good and bad. The choice to attend worship comes with consequences. The choice to skip worship comes with consequences. And, Satan, the master salesman, has a powerful way of blinding our eyes to the spiritual consequences of our choices. Living on emotion rather than the wisdom of God, choices are made without thinking things through. Words that are spoken or posted on social media. Attitudes we carry. Clothes that we wear. Who we hang out with. What we do in our spare time.
Not only are there consequences to our choices, but we also leave impressions and footprints for others. Letting your light shine is a choice. People will remember you for how you chose to treat them. Will they remember you as being greedy? Will they remember you as being selfish? Will they remember you as being stuck-up? Will they remember you as kind, helpful and generous? Choices—look at things from the end, not the beginning.
Second, look at things from the inside out, not the outside in. The inside involves heart, character, motives and a desire to please the Lord. Our choices impact others. Our choices also have an effect upon us. Our choices can move us closer to the Lord or farther away from Him. Our choices can build faith or chip away at faith. Our choices can help save us or ruin us. The thirst for wealth can make a person sell his convictions for a lump of gold. That thirst can lead someone to being dishonest. Is the promotion offered worth it to my family and to my soul? Does moving help us spiritually or will it set us back? Will I be a better person for this or not? Some choices men have made have kept them from ever being considered as shepherds in God’s kingdom. Who they chose to marry. How much work took over their lives. How much time they devoted to the kingdom. Inside out—that’s how choices must be made.
Third, look at things from the top down. How does God view my choice? Is this something that will strengthen me and put me in the position to help others? What does the Bible say about such things? Will I have to close my eyes to what the Bible says if I make this choice?
Choices—and what’s running through these three considerations is just that. Think before you make the choice. Ask others. Search the Scriptures. Pray about it.
It’s all a matter of choice…
Roger